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This June 2020 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on regional coordination against COVID-19, the political and security situation in Somalia, institutional reforms within the AU Commission, and the challenges of borderland security and youth engagement.

This research paper analyzes foreign direct investment (FDI) trends within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to evaluate their impact on regional value chains, industrialization, and inclusive growth, specifically in relation to the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (SISR).

The May 2020 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) challenges in the Sahel, the human rights risks associated with COVID-19 states of emergency, the adaptation of peace support operations (PSOs) to the pandemic, and the economic threat to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also analyzes the potential shift in the global order and the need for Africa to reduce its dependence on external support.

This case study examines the role of the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) Incubator in supporting five selected grantees to scale their resilience innovations. It details the Incubator's methodology, which includes gap analysis, leadership training, and business model development, and evaluates the progress of projects focused on food systems, risk financing, urban habitat, water governance, and smallholder market access across Africa and Asia.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) case study outlines a framework for 'learning from failure' in resilience-building initiatives. By utilizing Challenge Funds to distribute risk and establishing a high-trust relationship between the GRP Secretariat and grantees, the organization encourages an iterative 'probe-sense-respond' approach. Key findings emphasize the need for flexible targets, a 'do no harm' principle in vulnerable contexts, and a systematic MEL process that captures not just what failed, but why. Case studies from Kenya, the Philippines, and the Sahel demonstrate how pausing unsuccessful pilots and redesigning products based on real-time evidence leads to more effective, scalable resilience solutions.

This research paper examines the impact of trade facilitation reforms, specifically One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) and Simplified Trade Regimes (STRs), on women informal cross-border traders (WICBTs) in East Africa, with a detailed case study of the Busia OSBP between Kenya and Uganda.

This policy brief examines the role of resilient ecosystems in climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR), specifically for coastal cities in Africa. It advocates for nature-based solutions, such as Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR), to reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events. The document highlights a significant gap in African regional policies that explicitly link biodiversity conservation with DRR and provides recommendations for mainstreaming these approaches into national and regional development strategies.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the implementation of public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It distinguishes PPPs from privatisation, highlights the potential for PPPs to address infrastructure deficits in Africa, and provides recommendations for improving governance, transparency, and public engagement to attract investment while avoiding hidden debt.

This research paper outlines the strategic opportunities for South Africa in 2020 as it concurrently chairs the African Union (AU) and serves as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The author argues that South Africa can reclaim its continental prestige by focusing on three priority areas: conflict resolution ('Silencing the Guns'), the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), and the improvement of governance through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs provides guidelines for implementing public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It distinguishes PPPs from privatisation, analyses the regional infrastructure landscape, and recommends the establishment of independent PPP units and formalised public consultation frameworks to attract investment and ensure sustainable project delivery.

This guide, prepared by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and SouthSouthNorth (SSN), translates the findings of the 2019 IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate specifically for African policymakers. It details how human-induced climate change is altering ocean chemistry and temperature, accelerating sea-level rise, and melting high-mountain glaciers, all of which threaten marine biodiversity, food security, and coastal infrastructure across the African continent.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public funding required by 2030 to end hunger, double the incomes of smallholder farmers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within the limits of the Paris Agreement. Using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, the authors determine that donors must nearly double their current annual contributions to food security, supplemented by increased domestic tax revenue in low- and middle-income countries.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public investment required to eradicate hunger, double the incomes of small-scale producers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within Paris Agreement limits by 2030. Using a computable general equilibrium model, the authors determine that donors must increase their annual contributions by 14 billion USD, complemented by 19 billion USD from low- and middle-income countries, to achieve these goals.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public spending required to end hunger, double the incomes of small-scale producers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within Paris Agreement limits by 2030. It identifies a significant funding gap, requiring both an increase in official development assistance (ODA) and higher domestic taxation in low- and middle-income countries.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between armed conflict and forced displacement in Africa. It evaluates the African Union's (AU) 'Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020' initiative, arguing that while the AU has established necessary infrastructure for early warning and preventive diplomacy, poor governance and structural root causes continue to drive conflict and displacement.

This executive summary from Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy projects in 20 high-impact countries (HICs) across Africa and Asia. Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, the report highlights that while energy finance disbursements grew faster than overall development finance between 2013 and 2018, they still significantly lag behind commitments, hindering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

This 2020 report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy access in High-Impact Countries (HICs). Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, it evaluates the efficiency of development financing for electricity and clean cooking, identifying systemic delays and project design flaws that hinder the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

This document summarizes the outcomes of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA) Resilience Roundtable held on December 10, 2019, during UNFCCC COP 25 in Madrid. The roundtable focused on accelerating action to build a resilient 1.5-degree world, emphasizing the need to bring investment in adaptation and resilience on par with mitigation to protect the most vulnerable populations, particularly in least developed countries and small island developing states.

This commentary by the World Resources Institute argues that climate action is only politically viable if it is 'people-centered,' meaning it purposefully unlocks social and economic benefits, targets them to enhance equity, and ensures a just transition for workers and vulnerable communities. The document provides evidence that bold climate action can deliver significant global economic gains, job creation, and public health improvements while mitigating the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the poor.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution presents Southern African states with an opportunity to transform their economic trajectories through a systemic innovation approach. It advocates for a 'just e-volution' that integrates the mining, automotive, and energy sectors to move toward a low-carbon economy, specifically suggesting a 'Green New Deal' for the SADC region to avoid becoming a dumping ground for obsolete internal combustion engine technology.